Armed Forces: Equipment

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the portable Bowman radios indicate the level of charge remaining in the batteries without the need to remove the batteries.

Baroness Taylor of Bolton: Bowman radios are either very high frequency (VHF) or high frequency (HF) units; a separate battery type is used for each.
	The VHF Bowman radio can be equipped with a key display unit (KDU) that enables the user to check the battery level without having to remove it.
	This facility is not available for the Bowman BF radio. Therefore, it is not currently possible to check the charge level of the battery without disconnecting it from the radio manpack.
	In the future, it is intended to introduce an audible alarm for both the VHF and BF Bowman radios that will inform the user when the battery has dropped to a specific charge level.

Armed Forces: Non-British Nationals

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many non-British nationals are currently serving in (a) the Royal Navy, (b) the Army, and (c) the Royal Air Force; and, for each service, which countries they are from.

Baroness Taylor of Bolton: The following tables below show the number of non-British nationals currently serving in the trained UK Regular Armed Forces as at 1 December 2008 by recorded nationality category on the Ministry of Defence Joint Personnel Administrative system.
	
		
			 Navy Total non-UK 630 p 
			 Navy Commonwealth1 580 p 
			 Australian 10 p 
			 Barbadian - p 
			 Botswanan - p 
			 Cameroonian - p 
			 Canadian 20 p 
			 Citizen of Fiji 100 p 
			 Citizen of Sri Lanka - p 
			 Dominican 10 p 
			 Gambian 10 p 
			 Ghanaian 10 p 
			 Grenadian - p 
			 Guyanese - p 
			 Indian 10 p 
			 Jamaican 30 p 
			 Kenyan 10 p 
			 Malawian 10 p 
			 Malaysian - p 
			 Maltese - p 
			 Mauritian - p 
			 New Zealander 10 p 
			 Nigerian 10 p 
			 Pakistani - p 
			 Sierra Leonean - p 
			 South African 60 p 
			 St Lucian 10 p 
			 Trinidad and Tobago citizen 30 p 
			 Ugandan - p 
			 Vincentian 200 p 
			 Zambian 10 p 
			 Zimbabwean 20 p 
			 Navy Other Foreign 60 p 
			 Dutch - p 
			 Irish 50 p 
			 Ukrainian - p 
			 United States citizen - p 
		
	
	Source: DASA (Quad-Service).
	Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10.
	p denotes provisional due to ongoing validation of data from the Joint Personnel Administration System denotes fewer than 5.
	Figures are for trained UK Regular Forces, and therefore exclude Gurkhas, Full Time Reserve Service personnel and mobilised reservists.
	1. Includes Zimbabwean and Fijian citizens, who continue to retain Commonwealth status under the British Nationality Act 1981.
	
		
			 Army Total non-UK 6,770 p 
			 Army Commonwealth1 6,320 p 
			 Antiguan - p 
			 Australian 60 p 
			 Bahamian - p 
			 Bangladeshi 10 p 
			 Barbadian 10 p 
			 Belizean - p 
			 Botswanan 10 p 
			 British Commonwealth 10 p 
			 Cameroonian 40 p 
			 .Canadian 50 p 
			 Citizen of Fiji 2,110 p 
			 Citizen of Seychelles 10 p 
			 Citizen of Sri Lanka 10 p 
			 Citizen of St Christopher(St Kitts) and Nevis - p 
			 Dominican 20 p 
			 Gambian 150 p 
			 Ghanaian 730 p 
			 Grenadian 50 p 
			 Guyanese 20 p 
			 Indian 70 p 
			 Jamaican 600 p 
			 Kenyan 120 p 
			 Malawian 160 p 
			 Malaysian - p 
			 Maltese - p 
			 Mauritian 40 p 
			 Namibian - p 
			 New Zealander 60 p 
			 Nigerian 110 p 
			 Pakistani 10 p 
			 Papua New Guinean - p 
			 Sierra Leonean 40 p 
			 Singaporean - p 
			 South African 760 p 
			 St Lucian 190 p 
			 Swazi 10 p 
			 Tanzanian - p 
			 Tongan 10 p 
			 Trinidad and Tobago citizen 70 p 
			 Ugandan 70 p 
			 Vincentian 230 p 
			 Zambian 20 p 
			 Zimbabwean 440 p 
			 Army Other Foreign 450 p 
			 Afghan - p 
			 Brazilian - p 
			 Filipino - p 
			 Foreign - p 
			 French - p 
			 German - p 
			 Greek - p 
			 Irish 210 p 
			 Mauritanian - p 
			 Nepalese 220 p 
			 Swiss - p 
			 United States citizen - p 
		
	
	Source:DASA (Quad-Service)
	Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10.
	p denotes provisional due to ongoing validation of data from the Joint Personnel Administration System denotes fewer than 5.
	Figures are for trained UK Regular Forces, and therefore exclude Gurkhas, Full Time Reserve Service personnel and mobilised reservists.
	1. Includes Zimbabwean and Fijian citizens, who continue to retain Commonwealth status under the British Nationality Act 1981.
	
		
			 Royal Air Force Total non-UK 90 p 
			 Royal Air Force Commonwealth1 60 p 
			 Australian - p 
			 Canadian - p 
			 Citizen of Fiji 10 p 
			 Citizen of Sri Lanka - p 
			 Ghanaian - p 
			 Grenadian - p 
			 Indian - p 
			 Jamaican 10 p 
			 Kenyan - p 
			 Malawian - p 
			 Malaysian - p 
			 Mauritian - p 
			 New Zealander - p 
			 South African 10 p 
			 St Lucian - p 
			 Trinidad and Tobago citizen 10 p 
			 Vincentian - p 
			 Zimbabwean - p 
			 Royal Air Force Other Foreign 30 p 
			 Irish 20 p 
			 United States citizen - p 
		
	
	Source: DASA (Quad-Service)
	Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10.
	p denotes provisional due to ongoing validation of data from the Joint Personnel Administration System denotes fewer than 5.
	Figures are for trained UK Regular Forces, and therefore exclude Gurkhas, Full Time Reserve Service personnel and mobilised reservists.
	1. Includes Zimbabwean and Fijian citizens, who continue to retain Commonwealth status under the British Nationality Act 1981.

Aviation: Baggage

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they compile and publish data on loss and damage to baggage carried by United Kingdom airlines; and, if so, what were the data for each year from 2002.

Lord Adonis: The Department for Transport does not compile data on loss and damage to airline passenger baggage. Data on the number of complaints received about mishandled baggage (including lost and damaged baggage) are published by the Air Transport Users Council (AUC)—the UK's consumer watchdog for the aviation industry. The data are published each year in the AUC's annual report.

Aviation: Passengers

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what law governs airline passengers and their baggage; whether passengers and their relatives can make claims against airlines in domestic courts; whether the 1999 Montreal Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules for International Carriage by Air excludes the possibility of such claims; and whether European Union regulations provide for compensation without the need for litigation.

Lord Adonis: Passenger rights in respect of loss, damage or delay to baggage are protected by international legislation. Under the 1999 Montreal convention which came into force for the UK in June 2004, passengers or their representatives may bring proceedings in respect of loss, damage or delay to baggage in domestic courts provided the carrier concerned operates to the country concerned.
	The convention was implemented in European Community law by Regulation EC 889/2002, which replicates the convention provisions for claiming compensation in respect of delayed, damaged or lost luggage.

Aviation: Passengers

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they compile and publish data on death and injury to passengers carried by United Kingdom airlines; and, if so, what were the data for each year from 2002.

Lord Adonis: Data on casualties caused by aviation accidents are published annually in Transport Statistics Great Britain, which can be downloaded from the Department for Transport website.
	The number of fatal and non fatal injuries to passengers on UK registered aircraft conducting commercial services (including helicopter and air taxi operations) for each year from 2002 to 2007 are as follows.
	
		
			  2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 
			 Fatal 9 0 0 1 5 0 
			 Non-fatal 3 1 3 0 2 1 
		
	
	The figures for 2008 are not yet available.

Bailiffs

Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government who paid for the Deloitte report into Drakes Bailiffs that was commissioned by the Department for Constitutional Affairs.

Lord Bach: The investigation was paid for by the HMCS Resources Directorate. Recovery of the cost of the investigation has been sought from Drakes and its successor company. To date the recovery of the costs has not been successful since the sum claimed has been disputed. The amount of the claim is commercially sensitive, since negotiations are still in hand, and so cannot be disclosed.
	The investigation was commissioned following a BBC "whistleblower" programme on the bailiff industry in September 2006.

Belfast Agreement

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what amendments they propose to legislation relating to the Belfast agreement of 1998 regarding the transparency and accountability of the cross-border implementation bodies.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The operation of the North/South implementation bodies is a matter for the devolved authorities in Northern Ireland and the Irish Government.

Broadcasting: Audio Description

Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to the effect of increasing targets for audio description television services on raising the public's media literacy skills.

Lord Carter of Barnes: Media literacy is one of the key focus areas of the Government's Digital Britain interim report published last month, and a key priority in Ofcom's work plan for 2008-09. As part of its plan Ofcom will engage with advocacy groups for sections of society most likely to be excluded from the digital communications market including the Royal National Institute of the Blind.

Crime: Metal Theft

Baroness Greengross: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many crimes involving metal theft were reported to police forces in Great Britain in the past two years.

Lord West of Spithead: The requested information is not available centrally.
	The Home Office collects crime statistics for England and Wales only. From the recorded crime statistics collected, it is not possible to identify the number of thefts where metal was stolen. Such offences are recorded in the "other theft" classification and cannot be separately identified from other items stolen.

Criminal Records Bureau

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord West of Spithead on 20 January (WA 195—96), whether they will publish a summary of the Answer in layman's language that could be passed on to those inquiring about hosting child visitors in private homes.

Lord West of Spithead: Further to my previous Written Answer of 20 January (WA 195-96), the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) plans to publish guidance to those inquiring about hosting child visitors in private homes on its website at www.crb.gov.uk.
	This guidance will make it clear that there is currently no mandatory requirement for any household family members to undergo a CRB check. However, they would qualify for an enhanced disclosure if they are working in a position in which normal duties involved regularly caring for, training, supervising or being in sole charge of a person under the age of 18.
	However, this position is expected to change in October 2009 with the introduction of the vetting and barring scheme operating under the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA). There is an intention that activities of the nature referred to will be regarded as a regulated activity and ISA registration will be a mandatory requirement for individuals undertaking this type of role.

Crown Prosecution Service

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 17 December 2008 (WA 39), what action they will take to recruit more men to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer given on 27 January 2009 (Official Report, col. WA 35).

Government: 30-year Rule

Lord Fowler: To ask Her Majesty's Government when will they publish the report of the team set up to review the 30-year rule on the publication of certain Government papers.

Lord Bach: The report by the independent review team appointed by the Prime Minister to review the 30-year rule was published on Thursday 29 January 2009 by the 30-year rule review team. Copies are available in the Vote Office, Printed Paper Office and the Libraries of both Houses. The report is also available on the internet at www.30yearrulereview.org.uk.

Northern Ireland Office: Bonuses

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by the Lord President (Baroness Royall of Blaisdon) on 26 January (WA 16) concerning bonus payments made to staff of the Northern Ireland Office, why the relevant trade unions were consulted if they have no role in the approval process for the payment of bonuses; and what was the outcome of the consultations.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The trade unions were consulted about the bonus schemes. The trade unions are not consulted about the payment of bonuses to members of staff.

Northern Ireland Office: Cost-saving

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what cost-saving measures have been implemented by the Northern Ireland Office in the past five financial years; and how much was saved in each case.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: Details of efficiency gains delivered by the Northern Ireland Office across the SR04 period (from 2005-06 to 2007-08) are outlined in the NIO's autumn performance report 2008 which is published on the internet at www.nio.gov.uk.
	To provide detail prior to this period would be possible only at disproportionate cost.

Northern Ireland Office: Staff

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether salaries and allowances for staff in the Northern Ireland Office are similar in all respects to the rest of the home civil service; and, if not, in what way they differ.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: Pay arrangements are delegated to individual government departments. Departments are required to meet central guidance laid down by Cabinet Office and HM Treasury which monitor and agree Home Civil Service departments' pay remits.

Northern Ireland Office: Staff

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what has been the salary bill for the Northern Ireland Office in each financial year since 2001.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The salary bill for the Northern Ireland Office, excluding its agencies and executive NDPBs, since 2001-02 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Financial Year Salary Costs (£'000s) 
			 2001-02 29,532 
			 2002-03 33,436 
			 2003-04 36,355 
			 2004-05 38,349 
			 2005-06 42,639 
			 2006-07 45,241 
			 2007-08 51,636 
		
	
	These totals include wages and salaries, social security costs and other pension costs.

Northern Ireland Office: Staff Sickness

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any staff in the Northern Ireland Office are entitled to five days' stress leave per year; if so, why; when it was introduced; and how many such days were taken last year.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: No staff employed within the Northern Ireland Office are entitled to take "stress leave" days.

Passports

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will enter into United Kingdom passports details of any non-United Kingdom passports held.

Lord West of Spithead: There are no plans to do so. Although applicants for British passports are asked for details of any other passport held at the time of application, any system of recording passports obtained or renewed during the validity of the UK passport would be costly and difficult to enforce where a person with dual nationality chose not to notify the acquisition of a passport in their other nationality.

Passports

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the electronic screening of United Kingdom passports by the United Kingdom Border Agency reveals details of other passports held.

Lord West of Spithead: No. Electronic reading of passports does not reveal any additional information. However, it is very useful in checking individual names against watch lists and in the development of the e-borders system which will give additional capability to track movements where more than one passport is used.

Passports

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether serving members of the Armed Forces are allowed to hold non-British passports as well as British passports; and, if so, whether they are required to inform the military authorities of this.

Baroness Taylor of Bolton: Citizens of Commonwealth countries, the Irish Republic and Gurkhas serving in the UK Armed Forces are permitted to hold non-British passports. Personnel with British nationality who are also dual nationals of another country may also hold a passport of the other country. Nationality and the right to enter the UK is established as part of the recruitment process. Personnel have an obligation at the recruitment stage to inform the recruiting office that they hold dual nationality status but, if they hold a British passport they are not normally required to reveal the country of origin of their non-British passport.

Passports

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what legal limits exist on the right of United Kingdom passport holders to serve in the Armed Forces of other countries.

Lord West of Spithead: There are no restrictions in law in the United Kingdom to prevent British nationals serving in the Armed Forces of other countries. It would be a matter for the country concerned to decide whether to allow a United Kingdom passport holder to serve in their forces.

Petitions: Government Departments

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether departments are required to publicise the actions taken by them in response to any electronic or paper petitions submitted to them.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether departments are required to accept petitions in electronic format; and how many departments have facilities to do so.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether petitions received by departments have to be made publicly available.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: Individual departments are responsible for the handling of petitions directly submitted to them.
	Information relating to such petitions is not collated centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Petitions: Government Departments

Baroness Hamwee: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many petitions were presented to departments in (a) session 2006—07, and (b) session 2007—08; how many have been presented in 2008—09; and on how many occasions the responsible department did not respond.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government how they decide whether or not a petition submitted to a department is to be considered valid in terms of requiring a response.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether departments are required by law to respond to petitions submitted to them; and, if so, whether those laws stipulate what steps the department should take by way of providing a response.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: Individual departments are responsible for the handling of petitions directly submitted to them.
	Information relating to such petitions is not collated centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Police: Northern Ireland

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will review the practice whereby the Police Service of Northern Ireland sends every investigation file to the Northern Ireland Public Prosecution Service to decide on further action; and whether they will re-introduce discretion for police to decide on cases where there is insufficient evidence or where they decide an informal caution is warranted.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The separation of functions between the police as investigators and legally trained prosecutors reaching decisions as to prosecution is an important one which helps to maintain the integrity of the prosecution process. Currently, the Public Prosecution Service requires the police to submit a file in every case in which an investigation has produced evidence that an identifiable person has committed a criminal offence. What is required to be included in the file depends upon the nature of the police recommendation and a full file is required only where that recommendation is for prosecution. These arrangements are currently under review and consideration is being given to a number of options that may improve delivery of criminal justice without undermining the integrity and fairness of the process that is essential for public confidence to be maintained.

Police: Northern Ireland

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many break-ins to business premises have taken place in East Belfast during each month since January 2008; and what steps the Police Service of Northern Ireland is taking to reduce the number.

Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: That is an operational matter for the chief constable. I have asked him to reply directly to the noble Lord, and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Police: Traffic Patrols

Lord Dear: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of police officers was dedicated to road traffic patrolling in (a) 1970, (b) 1980, (c) 1990 and (d) each year from 1997 to date, in (1) the Metropolitan Police, and (2) all other police forces.

Lord West of Spithead: The information requested has been centrally collected since 1994-95, and the available data are given in the table.
	The available data refer to the number of full-time equivalent police officers primarily employed in the traffic function includes staff who are predominantly employed on motorcycles or in patrol vehicles for the policing of traffic and motorway related duties. This does not include officers employed in accident investigation, vehicle examination and radar duties.
	
		
			 Percentage of Police Officers (FTE)l whose main function is Traffic2 
			  1996-073 1997-083 1998-093 1999-20003 2000-013 2001-023 
			 Metropolitan Police - - - - - - 
			 England and Wales - - 6.1% 5.9% 5.7% - 
			  2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 
			 Metropolitan Police 2.1% 2.0% 3.4% 2.0% 2.0% 2.0% 
			 England and Wales 5.3% 4.9% 5.1% 4.7% 4.6% 4.5% 
		
	
	1. This and other tables contain full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Because of rounding, there may be an apparent discrepancy between totals and the sums of the constituent items.
	2. Staff with multiple responsibilities (or designations) are recorded under their primary role or function. The traffic function includes staff who are predominantly employed on motorcycles or in patrol vehicles for the policing of traffic and motorway related duties. The does not include officers employed in accident investigation, vehicle examination and radar duties.
	3. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary held data prior to 2002-03 on their Matrix database. They have advised that these data that are missing from the table are no longer available.

Severn River Crossing plc

Baroness Scott of Needham Market: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the reduction in the rate of value added tax was not passed on through a lower toll charge by Severn River Crossing plc until 1 January; and, if so, how much revenue was collected by the concessionaire of the Severn Bridge crossing from the reduction in the value added tax rate not being passed on in December 2008.

Lord Adonis: The new toll levels introduced on 1 January 2009 were set as part of the annual inflation review and adjusted to reflect the reduction in value added tax.
	The increase in net revenue collected by the concessionaire in December 2008 as a result of the reduction in value added tax is approximately £128,000.
	The concessionaire has not gained any additional revenue from this, but it has the effect of reducing the concession period by less than one day.

Severn River Crossing plc

Baroness Scott of Needham Market: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will recoup from Severn Bridge Crossing plc any additional revenue it gained from not passing on the reduction in the rate of value added tax.

Lord Adonis: Severn River Crossing's (SRC) total revenue from the tolls is fixed at a defined amount under the concession agreement and the concession period will end when SRC achieves that amount. The reduction in VAT produced a small increase in the net toll revenues in December. This means that the total revenue defined under the concession agreement will be met slightly earlier than anticipated. As such SRC has not gained any additional revenue. Revised toll levels for 2009 have now been set below the level of annual inflation to reflect the recent reduction in the rate of VAT.

Wales Office: Staff

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average number of days taken off on sick leave by staff in the Wales Office administrative section in 2008.

Lord Davies of Oldham: Sickness absence is recorded on a yearly basis from April to March.
	For the year ending March 2008, the average number of days of sickness absence taken for all Wales Office staff was 9.29 days.
	It is worth noting that this figure was skewed upwards by a small number of long term sickness absences.